Tallahassee Wine Guy

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Last Friday I hosted a pop up event at domi station. For those of you who don't know domi station is unique multi-use space for local entrepreneurs and start-ups and promotes local business in town. And the event was sponsored by Kevin Kjellerup and the American Society for Quality. The event was open to the public and featured wines and food that I personally selected. I will be hosting more pop up events soon. The purpose of these events is to provide the Tallahassee with an opportunity to taste wines and food combinations that aren't found anywhere else in town.

The first wine was a young, vibrant Muscadet, which ended up being the most popular wine of the evening:

2014 Domaine La Haute Févrie Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie

This wine had great acidity and was very tart as well as good medium body, as is typical of Muscadet. It paired really well with (un-smoked) home made, cold Grouper dip.

The next wine was also a big hit, 2009 Martinez Bujanda La Mancha Finca Antigua Crianza. This was a Tempranillo blend (50% Tempranillo, 20% Cab Sauv and Merlot, 10% Syrah). This wine had 7 years of age on it so it started to mellow a bit, but a half hour after opening it was showing really well. This wine was from a lesser known region in Spain, La Mancha.

This Spanish blend was paired very well with the hard Spanish Chorizo, slightly sweet, Manchego cheese, salty roasted almonds and quince jelly.

The last wine featured was a Sauternes. Before the event, I expected the Sauternes to be the wine of the night--it was certainly the most expensive of the 3--but it wasn't. First off, it's clear that people just don't drink as much sweet wine as they do dry wines. But I also think that the first two wines were really solid. The Sauternes was paired with blue cheese.

Overall, the event was a success because people really enjoyed the wines and food. Stay tuned for more pop up events coming soon to Tallahassee. Don't hesitate to contact me directly if you're interested in hosting a pop up event or collaborating on an event with me. Cheers!

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Well folks, the holiday season is
upon us and so time for celebrating with some bubbles. Now, I need to disclose
what may be an unpopular opinion: I don't love Sparklers. I prefer the complexity
and depth that red wines and some whites (e.g., Rieslings) can. I’m a
wine geek! What’d you expect? And at last night's tasting, somewhere
around Sparkler #7 I began experiencing palate fatigue and all of the sparklers
started tastingfairlysimilar to one another, besides
the occasional very sweet (e.g., Asti Spumante), the sparkling Shiraz, or theVeuve ClicquotRichthat was poured over slices of red
and green bell pepper (yes, you read that right).

NowI will say that Idoappreciate a good Sparkler. A good
sparkler in my opinion has structure and successful integration of the relevant
elements like alcohol, sweetness, secondary and tertiary qualities, etc., which
makes for a seamless transition from beginning to finish on the palate. These
are the 2 sparklers that I found most appealing. Both of these Sparklers showed
excellent structure and balance.

Sparkler #1: NVLe MesnilSublime Rose (Cotes de Blanc,Sur Oger, Champagne, France):mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this
Champagne is rare in that it is one of only six cooperative producers in
Champagne. Note that this bottle retails for $48.

Tasting Note: some
sweetness and very small amount of oak, overall great structure and integration
of the elements, good finish, fine bubbles.

Rating: 90. This retails for $23 at Market
Square Liquors.

Champagnes—the elite of the Sparkler
category—tend to be over-priced and I pride myself as someone who values a wine
with a goodQPR(i.e., quality to price ratio).
If you agree you might want to check out a couple of solid value Proseccos or
Cavas sold almost anywhere around town, e.g., Segura Viudas Cava,

Friday, November 20, 2015

Last night I stopped by the Wine House (formerly, the Wine Warehouse) for a tasting. Here are the wines that I'd recommend with brief notes on each.

Bortolotti Prosecco Superiore Brut NV (Valdobbiadene, Veneto Italy): this is a higher quality Prosecco, not of the more common varieties that tend to be sweet, etc. This Prosecco isn't sweet, is balanced and has a longer finish that common Proseccos. Tip: this would be a great sparkler for the holidays that costs much less than Champagne.Another wine that wasn't part of the tasting line-up that the Wine House owner, Bart, was kind enough to open and share with me was are rare one:

Ruca Malen Petit Verdot Reserva 2011 (Mendoza, Argentina): what makes this rare is that it is a 100% Petit Verdot (PV). Typically PV is a blending grape, is very tannic and has a dense, inky black appearance. As a result making a 100% PV wine is challenging and therefore rare. It was immediately obvious upon opening that, although this wine was 4+ years old, it was very tight and needs more time; if you choose to purchase and drink now, you'll want to decant it for at least 1 hour. Last, I'll finish with a wine that I didn't taste last night but I have tasted a prior vintage and absolutely loved it; and I've noticed that the current vintage found at the Wine House has great public ratings on Cellartracker that are consistent over all vintages.

2012 Aia Vecchia Lagone Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy): this is a Super-Tuscan, i.e., an Italian version of a Bordeaux blend. I picked up a bottle of the 2012 vintage last night. My note on the 2009 Lagone was: this wine has dark red & black fruit on the nose, is big, dense and dry (read: not fruity) in the mouth, very tannic but balanced with a long finish. Again, I'd recommend all of these wines if the characteristics in the notes are appealing to you preference. I also noticed a couple other reds on the shelves that I'll be picking up for the holidays that I'll write about soon.Feel free to contact me if you have any questions: srmillard@gmail.comCheers!

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

2013 Bodega Sottano Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine hails from the a vineyard in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Perdriel district of Argentina's Mendoza region (see map, above left). Mendoza has been producing excellent wines in the last few years and was named the Wine Region of the Year in 2008 by Wine Enthusiast. The altitude of the Bodega Sottano is almost 3,000 feet above sea level, which means that the vineyard receives intense amounts of sunlight. The soils in the Pedriel region are predominantly loamy with clay on top of a layer of gravel, which makes for good natural drainage, causes modest exposure to water all of which makes for rich and complex wines with great structure and firm tannins. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon are the two most commonly grown grapes in the Perdriel district.

Day 1: popped and poured. Immediately you notice that this is a big, muscular red with powerful red and black fruit on the nose and great structure in the mouth. On day 1 it is a little hot.

Day 2: the heat from day 1 is gone but the fruit and structure of the wine is still present.

This is an excellent wine for $12 and can be found at Market Square Liquors (Timblerlane Drive location).

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Beer and wine have their own unique qualities, based on
ingredients, how they are made as well as the specific characteristics that
result in the finished product. But they
do have some things in common. I think
they have enough in common that in some cases we can identify beer and wine
counterparts. Why do this? I see at least two reasons:

(1) Many people see beer and wine in exclusive terms, e.g., there are many people categorize themselves
as a beer drinker or a wine drinker
(but not both). I’d argue that it’s time to start viewing beer
and wine inclusively, i.e., beer and
wine don’t necessarily compete with each other but rather complement each
other, e.g., some types of beer and wine share certain similarities, pair well
with the same foods, etc.

(2) People who tend to drink only beer or wine can use this
post as a way of deciding which beer or wine counterpart to try… in essence, a
gateway counterpart.

Based on (1) and (2), for example, I’d like to begin seeing
restaurants hosting special opportunities to have (combined) beer and wine pairing dinners, etc.

A few introductory notes: sometimes I’ll refer to a beer or wine
style. In wine, there is a conventional
distinction between new- and old-world, which refers to the distinction to
Europe (old-world) and everywhere else (new world). Typically new-world wines are more fruity and
less dry than old-world style wines, e.g., Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand
tend to be fruitier than those from France.
Note, however, that there are many exceptions to the new-/old-world
categories, i.e., there are old-world style wines, e.g., less fruity, more dry,
etc., that made in new-world wine regions, e.g., California, etc. It’s also common to categorize wines into styles
based on specific wine regions, e.g., a Syrah from Cotes-du-Rhone, etc. In beer, there are many styles: American,
Belgian, English, German, Irish, Scottish ales; and American, Czech, European,
German and Japanese lagers; as well as styles such as Summer Ales, etc.

Last, I want to point out that—obviously—there are many
differences between beer and wine; not just their ingredients, how they’re made
but also that there are many characteristics that are just unique to each kind
of beverage.

Beer and Wine Characteristics

Appearance & Color

While there are similarities between the appearance and
color of beer and wine and beer and wine drinkers definitely get enjoyment out
of the appearance of a beer or wine, people typically people don’t drink
something only because of appearance. So
I’ll ignore this characteristic.

Aroma & Flavor

There’s a close connection between the senses that detect aroma
and flavor, i.e., the olfactory sense and taste, respectively. Further, although beverages can have some
aroma X, e.g., sweetness, etc., it may not taste like X. Also, I’m only going to discuss characteristics
that have similar counterparts in beer and wine; I’ll be ignoring types of characteristics
that have no counterparts in beer and wine.
For example, sweet citrus
characteristics are (almost exclusively) not found in beer but only wine so
I’ll ignore this type of characteristic.
Examples of aroma and flavor:

Fruitiness: both beer
and wine have fruity characteristics.
And good beer and wine can have fruit in different stages of consumption,
e.g., fruity start, dry or bitter finish.
Some examples of fruity characteristics in beer and wine and their
counterparts:

Beer: these are easy to spot, with names like
Cherry or Rasberry Lambic (Kreik or Framboise), Strawberry Wheat

All of these wines with citrus and red-fruit that have beer
counterparts tend to be dry; and all of these beer and wine counterparts tend
to have a good amount of acidity.

Savoriness: examples
of savory characteristics in beer and wine and their counterparts:

§Cocoa:

Wine: new-world Malbec

Beer: Stouts and Porters (esp. those with
“chocolate” in the name!)

§Smoky:

Wine: Spanish Tempranillo

Beer: Stouts and Porters (esp. those with
“smoke” in the name!)

Mouthfeel

Another important way to identify beer and wine counterparts
is by similar mouthfeel. Both beer and
wine contain alcohol, which produces a specific sensation in the mouth (e.g.,
hot, etc.). And if you’re looking for a
low-alcohol beer or wine or a high-alcohol beer or wine, it isn’t difficult to
do: simply look at the alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage on the label. But I’d argue there is another aspect of
mouthfeel found in beer and wine that makes them similar: bitterness in beer
and dryness in wine. In beer, bitterness
is produced by hops; and in wine tannins produce the feeling of dryness and
astringency in the mouth.

It seems plausible that if someone likes hoppy (e.g.,
bitter) beer they might be disposed to like dry wines. Here are some beer and wine style counterparts
by bitterness and dryness:

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Since March 2012 was the warmest on record in the US I don't think any would object to publishing the customary Summer wine post a bit early. I don't know about you but I really couldn't wait to start drinking some white wines to try to stay cool in this early on-set heat. I'm also starting to store my everyday reds in the fridge before serving so as not to experience too much of that internal warming sensation in my mouth since I'm already roasting externally in the summer-like temperatures.

The first wine that I picked up was the most recent vintage of Domaine Lefage Vin De Pays des Cotes Catalanes Cote Est (Languedoc Roussillon, France). This is a blend of White Grenache, Chardonnay & Marsanne from the interesting southern part of France that borders the northeastern tip of Spain. The Languedoc Roussillon region of France has an interesting collection of grapes and some very good values. I enjoyed the Cote Est. It had good weight, noticeable floral elements and a good amount of acidity. For $10 I thought it was a good wine.

The second wine was the 2010 Regis Minet Pouilly Fume VV (Loire, France). This Sauvingnon Blanc was a nice alternative to the New Zealand SBs (which I enjoy) with a some chalkiness and a less amount of acidity that lead to a seamless, enjoyable transition from beginning to the finish. This wine would pair very well with most kinds of shellfish and seafood that were prepared in a simple manner, e.g., raw, lemon/butter sauce, etc. This wine was a bit more expensive at $17 but I would still rate it a good value, which would be an even better value if enjoyed with the right food.

Both of these wines were purchased at the Wine Warehouse, which is recently under (mostly) new ownership (Bob Gorman).

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

On the one hand, people have come to expect a list of wines dedicated to Thanksgiving. On the other hand, I think posts dedicated to Thanksgiving wine recommendations have been over-done. And there are problems with wine lists (e.g,. top 10 wines for X, etc.,): people's preferences vary and there's no single wine that goes with Thanksgiving, but rather a range of many wines that would be good fits with typical Thanksgiving fare, e.g., turkey, starchy goodness, etc.

As always I start with premise that wine can be a source of enjoyment and that some of that enjoyment can come from trying wines that they have never tried, e.g., wines made with grapes that they have never tried, produced by a country or region that they have never tried, etc. Then apply this idea to wines that are available in Tallahassee at the moment that are either legit alternatives to the wines commonly associated with Thanksgiving or just darn good wines in their own right that are off the beaten path! This is what I've done...as always, the wines featured are all sub-$20.

- 2009 M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut (Languedoc Roussillon, France).
This wine is well-known and much like the Borsao it's a wine that
won't disappoint for the price. Medium-full bodied Grenache blend with
good secondary elements of earth, leaves, etc. ($12 Wine Warehouse)

- 2009 Borsao Garnacha(Spain). This is a steal at $6.99 (I've seen it listed around $10) although it's a fairly big wine and will need some bold flavors to compliment it. This is a good wine Thanksgiving or no Thanksgiving. (World Market)

- 2010Dr. Loosen Riesling (Mosel, Germany). I tried this wine a few weeks ago and was most impressed by its balance, weight and mouth-feel. Sour with some sweetness to it, so if you have an aversion to sweetness, then avoid... unless you have an open mind and are willing to try something new!($14 Earth Fare)

- Riondo Prosecco (Italy). I tried this over the weekend at some friends' wedding and enjoyed it, as did the others at my table--so it's not just me! Note to reader: it had a little more sweetness that expected but not enough to diminish its quality. ($10 Costco, $11 PublixKillearn)

- N.V. Jaume Serra Cava Cristalino Brut (Spain). Much like many of the wines featured here, this Cava is simple but well-made and won't disappoint for the price. ($8 World Market, $10 Publix)

Dessert Wines & Aperitifs

- Moscato might be the most popular wine at the moment. They're bubbly, sweet, relatively inexpensive (sub-$20) and fun. Wine Warehouse carries this pink Moscato for under $10 that is simple and surprisingly good.

Last, it's impossible not to notice that some retail stores
are also selling wine-based beverages like ChocoVine, Mulled Wine, wines
made from fruits other than grapes--I discovered that Cranberry wine is being
pushed this holiday. These can be enjoyed after
over-eating.

I hope one (or more) of these wines helps contribute to a happy Thanksgiving!

p.s. please contact me if you have any questions about any of these wines or any wines not included on this list that you'd like to find in town, e.g., Zinfandel, Cru Beaujolais, Rose, Syrah, etc. Also if you're not afraid of dropping more than $20/bottle, there are some very good wines available in town--contact me and I'll try to point you in the right direction.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Yesterday I came across a wine good and interesting enough that I thought it deserved a post unto itself. Trying to survive the 100 degree temperatures of the south in the summer I went looking for a white and found the 2009 Frédéric Giachino Vin de Savoie Abymes MonfarinaIt is produced in the French region of Savoie, east of Burgundy and south of Jura. (Map below.) The grape is Jacquere. According to winegeeks "wines from the Jacquère are often very light, higher in acidity, and crisp with scents of fresh grass and flavors of citrus fruits." And the Giachino Vin de Savoie is no exception. I called Jacquère obscure--obscure is relative, obviously--because my audience is most readers in the southern US many of whom aren't wine geeks, and my use of (a dry or off-dry) Riesling as an analogue to describe the acidity of this Vin de Savoie caused some disagreement. But the high, vibrant acidity (that almost pulsates in your mouth!) is what grabbed me and reminded me of the acidity in some very good Rieslings and Sancerres and even the occasional excellent Provencal rosé. In any event, I found this off-the-beaten-path French white to be one of my favorites of this summer. You can find this very good Vin de Savoie at Wine Warehouse in the $12 range. I'll be buying more.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Here is the Wikipedia page on Loire wines. Loire is one of my favorite regions especially for its sparkling wines which are a great alternative to the sparkling wines of Champagne. Loire fact: the Loire region produces the second most sparkling wine in France behind only Champagne. All of the following wines were sampled at a tasting at The Wine Warehouse (WW) on February 2, 2011. If you live in Tallahassee and are interested in any of the wines, you can find them there (WW prices shown). Last, although I have #4 as my favorite of the tasting, #5 is just as well made; I just thought #4 was more interesting, had more complexity to offer, etc. On to the wines....

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Ever hear wine snobs talking about the higher pleasure of drinking aged wine and haven't been able to find out for yourself whether they're just self-deceived ego-maniacs or whether they're actually on to something? Well, here's your chance. The Wine Warehouse has a 2002 Merlot for a great value, circa $12. It's 8 years old and just starting to reveal signs of aging. And as a bonus, the wine is from Israel--Israeli wines are fairly rare. So this wine may provide you with two firsts. Here are my notes.

Although this wine is just starting to show elements of aging, it is holding up very, very well. This wine is ready to drink now. The stewed prunes & molasses are the best way I can describe the aging characteristics of this wine. But don't take my description alone, go taste it for yourself.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Who, I ask, doesn't like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on a hot summer day? Still when I arrived at my local retailer late there were no clerks available to help me sort through the good, the bad and the ugly. So when I saw this wine in a waist-high stack of 3-4 cases in the middle of an aisle with a price tag of $9.99 I must admit that I was skeptical. I took a chance anyway and have to say that I was impressed with the wine I got for the price.2009 The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, Awatere Valley, Marlborough)Color: transparent pale yellow.Nose: bold pink grapefruit with some orange blossom. Screams NZ SB!Taste: balanced, light-medium mouth-feel, lime peel/oil with a mineral finish.

The only way this wine could improve is if it were more tightly focused (it was slightly flabby esp. on day 2) and for my tastes a little less sweet. But, again, for a sub-$10 white wine I was very happy.

I found this wine at the Timberlane location of Market Square Liquors.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Michel Chapoutier is one of the most respected winemakers in all of France. He took over operations of the family business from his father around 1980. All of the wines produced by Michel are from the Rhone region of France; and all of the Chapoutier vineyards produce biodynamic wines.So any opportunity to sample a bottle of a Chapoutier wine is exciting. And his most recent vintage of his Bila-Haut for $11 shouldn't be missed.2008 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Domaine de Bila-Haut (France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon): this wine is a Grenache blend, which is very common in the Rhone.

Color: slightly transparent edges.

Nose: raspberry, muted cinnamon and soil.

Taste: primarily raspberry, but also tempered notes of nitrogen/soil and graphite/lead. Dry, medium tannin. All of the elements are very well integrated. Balanced

This wine cries out for food. If you're a wine drinker who believes that wine is a compliment for food, you'll love this wine. I drank it with dry rubbed, grilled chicken and it was an outstanding match.

I found this wine at the Wine Warehouse, but I'm sure that you can find it at Market Square Liquors too.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Dear Tallahasseans,I hope you haven't had an AC unit stop working like mine did--it's tough to sleep when it's in the upper-80s...mid-90s with the heat index! I did, however, luck out with only a $100 repair, avoiding a new $5-thousand unit. For this reason (and because it's the beginning of a new month) I decided to try a couple new effervescent wines that are great served chilled. Both are available at the Wine Warehouse (WW).

The first was a South African sparkler; the second a Moscato D'AsitNV Graham Beck Brut (South Africa, Western Cape) 58% Chard, 42% Pinot Noir. This evolves slightly in the glass slightly but shows consistent fine bubbles, very little sweetness, a frothy mouth-feel (but without creamy/yeasty notes) , with clear lead/graphite secondary elements. And with good balance. WW, $13.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Why is this tasting called a sleeper tasting? Because the wines featured are considered unknown excellent wines... available now at the Wine Warehouse at an excellent price. And most of the wines lived up to their name. Below are my favorite, all of which I'd recommend. If you can afford them (how can you not afford them at these prices?), you won't be disappointed. I've listed both the retail and Wine Warehouse Sale prices.

Quinta Do Noval 2003 (pictured, right above). Retail $95/WW $40. Not enormous mouth-feel that you find in lower quality ports that try to compensate for other . Simply put: the best port (vintaged or non) I've ever tasted. Rating: 96. If you're a port love, you simply cannot afford to miss out of this port at this price point.

Monday, January 25, 2010

This winter I've had the desire for something to drink that could warm you up… something fortified. So I decided to try a few ports. Always in pursuit of variety I decided to try one aged port and another blended port; both are non-vintage. And since I’m always in pursuit of good values, I chose Warre’s 10 Year Old Otima and Trevor Jones Jonesy Tawny Port. (Both pictured above & below.)

Both of these ports are made using the traditional Portuguese blend of grapes, e.g., Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão. After fermentation it is fortified with brandy. And the alcohol content is 20% by volume.

The Otima is made in the Douro region of Portugal and is a lighter style Tawny (pictured right, below) that clearly shows aged aromas and flavors on the finish, e.g., Sherry or Madeira oxidized characteristics together with honey, hazelnuts, orange peel on the mid-palate.

The Jonesy is made in the Barossa Valley in southern Australia and is a blend averaging 46 years in age. It is dark brown (pictured left, below), with notes of candied black cherry and molasses.

I found the Jonesy more approachable than the Otima but enjoyed both for their differences.

You can find both of these Ports at The Wine Warehouse; the Jonesy is $11 and the Otima is $25.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I have to confess that when Argentine Malbec first hit the market, I was not a fan because I tended to dislike malolactic, oak-y, prune juice. But since we are in the dead of winter I drove myself to my local merchant and asked for some recs for substantive reds under $15. In the process I consciously decided to put aside my aversion to Argentine Malbec. Then in my inability to decide between two different Malbecs, I decided to pick up both of them. Due to sheer coincidence I happened to purchase another cheap bottle of Malbec a few days earlier at another local merchant. So I found myself with with three Argentine Malbecs... and here they are:
2007 Urban Uco Malbec (Mendoza)- Medium bodied, red & black fruit, discernable amount of spice & oak, balanced. 90
2008 Dona Paula Estate Malbec (Mendoza) - small amount of earth disappeared quickly after opening, medium bodied, not much fruit, almost no attack, seamless transition from middle to end, longest finish of the three. 89
2008 Gouguenheim Malbec (Mendoza): light bodied, strawberry (fruitier than expected), dry finish, balanced. IMO a nice table wine. 87

The first two Malbecs were purchased at Wine Warehouse for $9.99 each. The third was purchased at New Leaf Market for $7.99. Both the Urban Uco and Dona Paula were very good and I'd recommend both, but personally I preferred the former because it had more complexity and because the Dona Paula did show more oak. But I was pleasantly surprised by all of these wines mostly because none showed any malolactic treatment. If you are like I was--Malbec-phobic--please give any of these a try and shed your Malbec phobia.

Monday, November 30, 2009

I just returned from a visit to Walla Walla AVA in the southeast corner of Washington. I have some family there so I have sampled Walla Walla wines before, e.g., L'Ecole 41, Cougar Crest, etc. But I wanted to visit some new tasting rooms. I ended up visiting Northstar (pictured above), Va Piano and Amavi Cellars. (I went by some others but they were closed, one of which was K Vintners--I was told by some locals that Charles Smith marches to the beat of his own drum, which in this case meant "doesn't hold conventional hours for public tastings.") Walla Walla is approximately the same latitude as Bordeaux as 2007, which explains that three out of the four most common grapes grown (by planted area) are Bordeaux varietals:

41% Cabernet Sauvignon

26% Merlot

16% Syrah

4% Cabernet Franc

Some white grapes are grown, e.g., Chardonnary, Viognier, Riesling; and some growers in Walla Walla are starting to break out of the Bordeaux paradigm and are planting other red varietals. But red grapes dominate this AVA.

During my visit to the three tasting rooms I tasted three whites--a Sauvingnon Blanc blend, a Viognier blend and a late harvest Semillon. I found the white blends to be average; the late harvest Semillon was better, but still doesn't compare to a $25 half bottle of Sauternes. The rest of the reds were almost all blends; except for one 100% Syrah at Northstar. Without exception I found the reds to be very well made. None of the wines showed the slightest hint of being off balanced; all had a seamless transition from the attack to the finish. All were incredibly polished. In general they were fruity; and all received some amount of oak treatment--some more than others, but even for someone with old-world preferences like me none of the wines had an offensive amount of oak. To me these wines tasted like they were made by very skilled people with state of the art technology. Although I personally prefer something from the south of France to these reds, I can see why people would enjoy these wines. They're seductive. I look forward to going back soon to visit more wineries... oh yeah, and family too!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I really don't think that people should over-think wine, but occasionally I temporarily stop enjoying wines to think about it. Lately I've been thinking about wine ratings--their reliability, etc.--in light of some ink that has recently been spilled (esp. see here and here). On the one hand, wine ratings are important—they are clearly a desiderata of producers, once a year the major print publications and even minor businesses herald their Top 10 or Top 100 wines and we readers consume them. On the other hand, almost everyone would acknowledge that our impressions of a wine can vary significantly from time to time because of a cluster of internal (e.g., palate fatigue, mood, etc.) and external (e.g., bottle variation, etc.) conditions. Note that in most domains a difference is statistically significant if there is a ≥ 5% change; but on the 100 point Parker scale, wines are automatically attributed 50 points, so the 100 point scale is really a 50 point scale. This means that statistically significant variation on the 100 point scale is ≥ 2.5. I doubt that there are many—if any—people who would doubt that their ratings of the same wine never vary ≥ 2.5 on different occasions. Once consumers (fully) realize that variation between 0 to 2.5 isn’t significant on the 100 point scale, consumers will place less importance in a rating, especially a rating just below the boundary of a multiple of 10, e.g., 89, and a rating just above the boundary of the next multiple of 10, e.g., 90. A wine that scored 90 on one occasion will almost certainly receive a different score on another occasion for one reason or another. I would argue that many consumers have fully realized this. But many critics have not acknowledge this either because they mistakenly believe that their tasting and evaluation abilities are so precise that they would never attribute a score ≥ 2.5 to the same wine on separate occasions; or they mistakenly believe that their professional stature would suffer if they publicly acknowledge this.

In light of typical variation in a wine rating on the 100 point scale, purchasing wines on the basis of a single rating, even of a professional critic (no one shall be named), is… well, irrational. So what should consumers use to guide our purchases? I have two suggestions—neither of which are infallible, but are more reliable than using a single score from a professional critic. First, you can stick with ratings and use the average from multiple ratings provided by professionals, non-professionals or some combination thereof. How many ratings are sufficient, you ask? It’s unclear, but 6 or 7 is a standard range of series to eliminate bias. One popular source for ratings that automatically calculates an average (as well as the median) is CellarTracker! (If you want to a more reliable average rating, you can drop the high and low score, etc.) Second, you can forego ratings altogether and use good old-fashioned word of mouth. That is, find a trustworthy friend who reliably recommends wines that you enjoy. My friend is a clerk at my local wine shop; and her recommendations are reliable even in the face of contrary evidence, e.g., a $10 price tag, etc. One might argue that the scores and tasting notes of a single professional wine critic can be as reliable as the recommendations of your trustworthy friend. But I would argue that because I have more access to my trustworthy friend at the local wine shop, and therefore access to more information, her recommendations are more reliable than those of the professional critic to whom I have no personal acess.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Last night’s tasting at the Wine Warehouse featured twelve wines from Rocland Estate Rocland is a large facility in the Barossa Valley (map) that has the crushing capacity of 7000 tons annually. In addition to producing their own wines they offer custom wine making services to private clients who, for example, can elect to use their own winemaker or have one provided by Rocland. Their estate bottlings have been well-received by big American critics from Wine Spectator to Parker. Of the twelve wines featured, there were four whites, and (unsurprisingly) six of the remaining seven reds contained some amount of Shiraz. All wines featured at the tasting except one were sub-$20 (the one other was $25). I found almost all of the wines to be well made & in the mid- to upper-80s scoring range, making them good values. And all reds seemed to be medium-bodied, have a relatively smooth mouth-feel, opaque dark brick red color and have a nose of mild mushroom/earth & clay/saline (think playdough); there was slight variation in flavors (see below). Although I didn’t find that any wines clearly stood out as significantly better than any other, below is a good sample from the tasting. (All prices shown are only for the Wine Warehouse. And, yes, the names are gimmicky.)